Skip to content
HighOnCity Ottawa
The Editor's Desk · Ottawa Briefing

Wednesday's mild—17 and mostly clear, good light till 7:12.

A warmer day to move through. Food's worth thinking about. Live music and circus tonight if you're up for it.

Wed · Sep 16, 2026 · Live
Wednesday's mild—17 and mostly clear, good light till 7:12.

Morning feels softer than the last few days—we're up to 17 and mostly cloudy, which means the UV's sitting at 6 (high), so if you're spending the afternoon outside, sunscreen still matters even when it doesn't feel like peak summer. You've got good light till just past 7 tonight, so if you're leaving work early or taking the long way home, the day's on your side.

Commute should move easy today. Nothing flagged on the LRT or major roads, so you're clear to plan normally.

A couple of things moving in the background worth knowing: there's a coroner's inquest underway into the 2019 death of an Indigenous man shot by Ottawa police—that's the kind of story that'll unfold over the coming weeks. Separately, the Ethiopian embassy residence over on Island Park is facing a choice between demolition or heritage protection, which has the usual neighbourhood conversation running. And if you haven't heard, we had a strong summer for tourism across the 613 and the Outaouais—hotel demand was up 3 per cent, which tells you people are coming back to visit.

If you're thinking about dinner, there's real momentum in the restaurant scene right now. Ruby's just opened in the ByWard Market with small plates and a serious wine program if that's your speed. Over on Somerset, there's Kozhi, a fine-dining fried chicken spot from Chef Teegavarapu Sarath Mohan that's drawing attention. And if you've been meaning to check out Arlo on Somerset—the place that grew from a pandemic wine bar into an actual restaurant—six years in and they're still worth a visit.

Tonite's got options depending on your mood. CityFolk's running at the RA Centre starting at 5, so if you want live folk and community feel, that's your move. If Cirque's your thing, Luzia is at St Laurent Shopping Centre at 7—those acrobatics always hit. Or if you're in the mood for Broadway, Come From Away is playing at Meridian Theatres at Centrepointe in Nepean at 7:30. For something more indie and electronic, Opal In Sky's at Rum Runners at 7:30 with a full lineup. And there's wheelchair basketball worlds happening at Carleton—the Men's 9th to 16th bracket starts at 10 this morning at the Raven's Nest if you want to catch that.

Mostly cloudy means the evening won't be a washout for any of it, so dress light and go do something.

★ FREE NEWSLETTER
Get the best of Ottawa–Gatineau in your inbox

The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.